Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis FINALLY breaks the longest hitless slump in MLB history after 54 agonizing plate appearances
- Davis broke the ignominious streak in Saturday’s away game against Red Sox
- Hit a two-run single in the first inning and added two more hits in the game
- Davis had been hitless for 54 at-bats since September 14 of last season
- Previous record was 46 at-bats by Los Angeles Dodgers Eugenio Velez in 2011
Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis has snapped the longest hitless slump by a position player in MLB history after an agonizing 54 at-bats.
Davis had three hits and four RBIs to end his record skid with a flourish as the Baltimore Orioles snapped a four-game losing streak with a 9-5 win over the host Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
Davis walked to the plate in the top of the first inning to what mostly appeared to be mock cheers from the home crowd when he was announced.
But the Orioles faithful jumped to their feet when Davis cracked a line drive to right-center with two outs and the bases loaded, driving in two runners.
Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles hits an RBI single during the first inning of a game against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday at Fenway Park in Boston, breaking his record hitless slump
Davis runs to first after getting his first hit in 54 plate appearances, a slump that is a record for a position player in MLB. Davis last got a hit last season on September 14
Davis reacts after hitting an RBI single during the first inning of a game against the Red Sox
Taps flowed in Baltimore, where many bars had offered a round of free drinks if Davis made a hit.
The ignominious streak had lasted since September 14 of last season.
Davis had long since broke the record for hitless plate appearances, which Los Angeles Dodgers utilityman Eugenio Velez had set at 46 in 2011.
Davis, a former two-time major league home run champion, later hit two doubles.
He added a tiebreaking double in the fifth inning and another double in the eighth, his first three-hit game since August 28.
Davis tacked on two more hits during the game, including this RBI double in the fifth inning
He had been 0 for 33 this season. The all-time record for a hitless streak by any player is an 0-for-85 drought by pitcher Bob Buhl in 1962-63.
After the game, Davis expressed gratitude that he would no longer have to face questions about the slump.
‘It was the elephant in the room for a while,’ he said, according to ESPN.
‘I tried not to let [the slump] dominate my thoughts, especially the last few days when I really felt better at the plate and still wasn’t seeing any return,’ Davis said.
‘Coming on the road, when we are at home, it’s one thing. Being on the road, it’s a little different. I was glad to see not one fall today, but get a few hits, like I really contributed to the win.’
Catcher Pedro Severino #28 low-fives teammate Chris Davis #19 after the victory over their victory over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Saturday
Third baseman Rio Ruiz embraces Davis #19 after his hits helped them beat the Red Sox
Pitcher Andrew Cashner (3-1) once again played stopper for the Orioles, giving up three runs on three hits in five-plus innings.
It was the third straight win for Cashner, who similarly ended a four-game Orioles’ losing streak his last time out against the Oakland A’s.
Christian Vazquez hit a two-run home run and had four RBIs for the Red Sox, whose first winning streak of the season was snapped at two games.
Rick Porcello (0-3) struggled with his command through four-plus innings, walking five and allowing three runs on six hits.